Combined casing and tool spear



' June 30, 1925. I 1,544,009

, M. W. JONES ET AL.

GQMBINED CASING AND TOOL SPEAR Filed Feb. 11. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Mo 1 0m 144 Jozrea WITNESSES a W ATTORNEYS Patented June 30, 1925.

UNITED, sTATEs Y. inane PATENT Fries.

MONK-OWE W. JONES AND BER-T BRUSH, OF AR-LDMORLE, OKLAHOMA; SI'XID JONES ASSIGNOR TO JONES EVERETT MACHINE (10., OF AR-DIi-IQBE, OKLAHOMA, A COR- PORATION.

COMBINED CASING AND TOOL SPEAK.

Application filed February 11, 1925. Serial No. 3,451.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, MoNRowE W. Joints and BERT H. BRUsI-r, citizens of the United States, and residents of Ardmore, in the county of Carter and State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Casing and Tool Spears, of which the following is a specification.

Qur' invention relates generally to improvements in spears for use in well drilling operations, more particularly to an improve ment in acombined casing and tool spear of the type which: is disclosed in Letters Patent of the United States, #lAQQTB, granted to us on January 18 1923, and it consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements herein described and claimed.

A spear of the type which is disclosed in the above mentioned patent has a body formed with a circular lower head portion and an uppercarrying portion having a pair of opposite flat faces inclined toward each other from their upper to their lower ends and a pair of casing engaging slips or jaws mounted on the flat faces for movement from contracted inactive positions at the lower ends of the inclined faces to higher expanded casing engaging positions, the slips being spring urgedl upward continuously from their lower inactive positions in which they are held relea'sa bly to permit lowering of the spear to a desired position in a well casing.

An object of the present invention is to provide a spear of the character described with a simple, reliable and durable: means for holding the slips positively although releasably in their lower and inactive positions, while the spear is being lowered in a well casing and. until the holding means is actuated to release the slips for upward movement to eX-panded'active positions.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a spear having holding means of the character described which will not" interfere with the use-of the usual drill line in the well casing in which the spear is to be lowered.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a spear of the character described having means for engaging with the, inner wall of a well casing in which the spear is being lowered to prevent turning of the spear about its vertical axis and twisting of the lines which are associated with the spear but without detrimentally affecting the movement of the spear downward in the well casing.

()ther objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: v

Figure 1 is aside elevation of the improved spear with the slips inlower and inactive positions,

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the spear, the view being taken at right angles to F ig ure 1,

Figure 3 is a vertical central section through the improved spear, with the slips in upper and expanded positions,

Figure 1 is a section along the line 4-4E of Figure 1,

Figure 5 is a section along the line 5-5 of, Figure l,

Figure 6 is a section along the line 66 of Figure 3,

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the holding device detached from the spear body and shown alone,

Figure 8 is a vertical section through the holding device, and

Figure 9 is a section along the line 9-9 of Figure 3.

The improved spear comprises a body having a lower head portion 1 of circular cross sectional contour and. a substantially wed e-shaped upper carrying portion 2 having a pair. of opposite flat faces 3 inclined toward each other from their upper ends to the upper end of the head portion 1 and being merged at their lower ends into the outer wall of the head portion 1 by shoulders 4. The flat faces may extend longitudinally of the carrying portion 2 from the shoulders 1 nearly to the upper end of the carrying portion and are merged at their upper ends into the convexly curved outer face'of the extreme upper end portion of the carrying portion as best seen in Figures 1 and 2, the extreme upper end portion of the carrying portion preferably having a diameter approximately equal to that of the head 1.

The carrying portion 2 has clove-tailed grooves 5 extending along the middle line of the flat faces 3 from the shoulders 1' for the full length of the carrying portion. Slips or jaws 6 having teeth 7 in their outer faces have ribs 8 extending longitudinally thereof along the middle line of their inner faces, the ribs being suitably shaped in cross sectional'contour to fit closely and slid-ably in the grooves 5. .Stops 9 limit the movement of the slips (3 toward the upper ends of the fiat faces 3, Coiled expansion springs 10 which are seated in pockets 11 opening through the shoulders t have the upper end portions thereof disposed in encircling relation to studs 12 which depend from the slips 6. -The springs 10 react against the slips 6 to urge such slips upward along the fiat faces 3 toward the stops 9.

shoulders 4:.

The spear body has an upper stem 13 integral with the carrying portion 2 at the upper end of the latter. The stem is threaded at 14 for connection with a rope socket, not shown, or any other suitable means for connecting the spear body to means for lowering the spear body in a well-casing.

The body of the spear is provided at the lower end of t'he head 1 with a reduced externally threaded portion orlower stem .15 for a purpose to be presently described, and the body of thesp'ear is formed with an axial bore 16 extending the full length thereof through which the usual drill line, not

shown, may extend.

The means for holding the slips 6 in. their lower contracted and inactivepositions on the body of the spear will now be described. Such means comprises a cap 17 which con stitutes the major portion of an annulus and has a central opening 18 through which the upper stem 13 may extend. The outer wall of the cap 17 is curved transversely. of the cap along the are of'a circle struck by a radius approximately equal to that of the upper end portion of the carrying portion 2 of the spear body and a radial aperture 19 through which the usual drill line may be passed into the central opening 18 extends in the cap 17 between the inner and outer walls of the cap. The cap 17 is provided opposite the aperture 19 with an upstanding stem 20 having a cutaway portion at its iiiner side as indicated at 21 to provide clear ance for the upper end of the stem 13. The upper end portion of the stem 20 is reduced, tapered and provided with external screw threads, as indicated at 22, for connection with a rope socket, not shown, or other means for connecting the cap 17 with a cable the stem 20 and the aperture 19 with a pair.

of opposite vertical openings through which extendthe reduced upper end portions 223 of pins 2-1, nuts 25 being in threaded engage .ment with the upper end portions 23 of the pins above the cap 17, and being screwed against the latter to liOlCltllC pins 2st rigid with the cap 17 and parallelwitli each other.

The pins 2 1 are adapted to depend through vertical bores 26 in the upperportion of: the spear body into the grooves 5 in position to engage with the upper ends of the slips (5 and to hold the slips 6 against upward movement from their lower inactive positions on the spear body when the cap 17 is retained on the stem 1E3 against the upper end of the spear body. The cap 17 is held in place in the position just mentioned by means of an attaching pin 27 which depends from the cap 17 beneath the stem 20 into a vertical socket 28 in the upper end of the spear body and a frangible pin 29 which extends through alined transverse openings in the pin 27 and the adjacent portion of the spear body. The attachingpin 27 is rigid. with the cap 17 and may be integral with the latter or a pin separate from the cap 17 and secured firmly to the latter in any suitable known manner as by having the upper end portion thereof held against displacement from a vertical socket in the underface otthe cap 1.7 by

a pin 31 of considerably greater strength than the pin 29, as shown in Figure 8. I

The spear body is provided with grooves '32 extending inits outer periphery for'part of its length.

The grooves 32 preferably are located midway between the Hat faces An outwardly bowed elongated spring 33 is provided for each groove Each spring has the upper end portion thereof rigidly secured to the bottom of its groove, as by spaced screws 34 so that the lower end portion of the spring will rest slidably on the bottom of the groove and the conveiily curved or outwardly bowed intermediate portion of the spring will extend outward beyond the outer periphery of the spear body.

A tubular shell 35 of less outer diameter than thehead portion 1 of the spear, body has the upper end portion thereof screw threaded internally for engagement with the stem 15, The lower end portion of the tubular shell 35 is reduced and tapered in ternally to provide a tapering seat inclicated at 36 for a circular series of jaws 37 having teeth on their inner faces for engaging with the shank ofavdrilling tool when the spear has been lowered in a well casing until the shank of said'drilling tool extends into the bore of the Shell 35 between the ltifi jaws 37. A lower presser ring 38 rests upon the jaws 37 and has an upstanding annular rib 39 fitting in an annular depending rib 40 on an upper presser ring 41. An expansion spring 42 is housed within the shell between the lower end of'the stem 15 and the upper presser ring 41 and transmits pressure through the rings 41- 38 to the jaws 37 tending to hold the jaws in con tracted position at the lower end of the tapering seat 36. The shell 35 has a pair of opposite lateral apertures 43.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, the operation thereof may be readily understood. The spear may be lowered in a well casing when the. slips 6 are. in contracted inactive positions until the shank of a drilling tool which is to be removed from the well has entered the bore of the shell 35 and has cammed the respective jaws 37 slightly upward in the shell against the action of the spring 42. The latter then will function to cause the teeth on the jaws 37-to bite into the shank of the tool when an upward pull is exerted on the spear body. Prior tormoving the spear upward in the well bore with the tool which is gripped by the jaws 37, a pull is exerted on the stem 20 of the cap 17 sufficient to cause shearing of the pin 29 and the release of the cap 17 from the body of the spear. The cap 17 then is pulled upward in the well bore away from the spear body, thus withdrawing the holding pins 24 from contact with the slips ,6 and permitting the springs 10 to function to move the slip 6 upward and outward to expanded active positions so that the teeth? will bite into the inner wall of the casing when the spear is moved upward in the well bore and the drilling tool and the well casing will be withdrawn simultaneously from the well bore.

The contact of the outwardly bowed intermediate portions of the springs 32 with the inner wall of the well casing when the spear lowered in the casing causes sufficient friction to prevent rotation of the spear in the well casing and twisting of the lines which may be attached to the spear body and cap 1.7, but does not prevent downward movementof the spear body in the well casing.

Obviously, the invention is susceptible of embodiment in forms other than that which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and we therefore consider as our own all such modifications and adaptations thereof as fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

lVe claim 1. The combination with a spear having a body, a slip supported on the body for movement upward and outward from position inwardly of the periphery of the body to position to extend outward beyond. the periphery of the body, and a spring urging said slip upward on the body toward said upper position of a rigid means releasably attachable to the body .and adapted when attached the bodyto engage with said slip to prevent upward movement of the slip on the body from said lower position.

2. The combination with a spear having a body, a slip supported on the body for movement upward and outward from position inwardly of the periphery of the body to position to extend outward beyond the periphery of the body, and a spring urging said slip upward 011 the body toward said upper position, of a cap superimposed on the body, frangible means attaching the cap to the body, and a pin depending from said cap through an opening in the body against the upper end of said slip and holding said slip against upward movement on the body from said lower position.

3. The combination with a spear having a body, a slip supported on the body for movement upward and outward from position inwardly of the periphery of the body to position to extend outward beyond the periphery of the body, and a spring urging said slip upward on the body toward said upper position, of a cap superimposed on the body, an attaching pin depending from said cap into an opening in said body, a frangible pin extending transversely through said attaching pin into the body, and a holding pin extending from said cap downward thrtmgh a vertical opening in said body and engaging at its lower end with the upper end of said slip to hold said slip against movement 011 the body from its lower position.

4. The combination with a spear having abody, a slip supported on the body for movement upward and outward from position inwardly of the periphery of the body to position to extend outward beyond the periphery of the body, and a spring urging said slip upward on the body toward said upper position, of a cap superinn'losed on the body, an attaching pin depending from said cap into an opening in said body, a frangible pin extending transversely through said attaching pin into the body, a holding pin extending from said cap downward through a vertical opening in said body and engaging. at its lower end with the upper end of said slip to hold said slip against movement on the body from its lower position, and a stem on said cap adapted for attachment to a means for exerting a pull on the cap sufficient to break said frangiblemeans and to pull the cap upward from the body to effect release of the slip for upward movement on the body.

5. The combination with a spear having a body, a slip supported on the body for movement upward and outward from position inwardly of the periphery of the body loo to position to extend outward beyond the periphery of the body, and a spring urging said slip upward on the body toward said upper position, of a cap superimposed on the body, frangible means attaching the cap to the body, and a pin depending from said cap through an opening in the body against the upper end of said slip and holding said *slip against upward movement on the body at the upper ends of the flat faces, and

springs urging said slips upward on said fiat faces toward expanded positions, of a cap adapted to be superimposed on said body, said cap having a pair of pendant parallel holding pins at opposite sides thereof and an attaching pin depending from the cap midway between the holding pins,

said body having a socket for the reception of the attaching pin and having parallel vertical bores opening at their lower ends through said flat faces, said holding pins being adapted to extend through said bores when said attaching pin is in said socket until the lower ends of the respective holding pins engage with the upper ends of the corresponding slips and hold said slips.

against upward movement on the body from said lower inactive positions, and a frangible pin extending transversely through said attaching pin into said body.

7. The combination with a spear having a body formed with a pair of opposite flat faces inclined toward each other from their upper to their lower ends, slips attached to the body to slide vertically on the flatfaces from inactive positions at the lower ends of the flat faces to expanded active positions at the upper ends of the fiat faces, and springs urging said slips upward on said flat faces toward expanded positions, of a cap adapted to be superimposed on said body, said cap having a pair of pendant parallel holding pins at opposite sides thereof and an attaching pin depending from the cap midway between the holding pins, said body having a socket for the reception of the attaching pin and having parallel vertical bores open ing at their lower ends through said flat faces, said holding pins being adapted to extend through said bores when said attaching pin is in said socket untl the lower ends of the respective holding pins engage with the upper ends of the corresponding slips and hold said slips against upward movement on the body from said lower inactive positions, a frangible pin extending transversely through said attaching pin into said body, and a stem upstanding from said cap above said attaching pin and adapted for connection with means for lifting said cap from said body against the action of said frangible pin.

8. The combination with a spear having a body, a slip movably supported on the body, a spring urging said slip to position on the body to extend beyond the periphery of the body, a stem upstanding on said body, a cap having a central vertical opening for the reception of said stem and having a radial aperture through which said stem may move intosaid centralopening, a pin carried by said cap in position to depend through an opening in the body against the upper end of said slip for holding said slip against movement on the body to extended position, and frangible means attaching the cap to thebody.

9. A spear of the character described, comprising a body adapted to be moved vertically in a well casing, said body having a reduced portion at its lower end, a tubular shell attached at its upper end to said re s duced portion in axial alinemcnt with said body, the lower end portion of said shell being reduced and tapered internally, a circular series of arcuate segmental jaws slidable 011 the tapering inner wall of the shell from lower contracted active position to an upper expanded position, said jaws having teeth on their inner faces, and spring means in said shell urging said jaws downward to contracted active position, said shell having a pair of opposite lateral openings above said aws.

MONROlVE lVALIER JONES. BERT HUDSOM BRUSH. 

